A.P. Jan Vishwas Bill decriminalises minor offences under 12 State Acts

The Legislative Assembly on Wednesday passed the A.P. Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, enabling decriminalisation and rationalisation of minor offences under various enactments in order to foster greater trust in governance.

Moving the Bill, Minister for Law & Justice N. Md. Farooq said the State government was committed to promoting trust-based governance, improving ease of living for citizens, and facilitating Ease-of-Doing Business.

However, it had been observed that several State enactments contained criminal provisions prescribing imprisonment for procedural, technical and regulatory defaults. Though intended to ensure compliance, such provisions had often resulted in avoidable litigation, burden on courts, and deterrence to investment and economic activity.

The government, therefore, following the enactment of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, by the Central government, considered the review of certain State Acts and substituting the provisions of imprisonment with monetary penalties, enhancing fines commensurate with present-day economic realities, providing for compounding of specified offences and repealing obsolete laws on similar lines as the given Central Act as necessary.

Accordingly, the AP Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, facilitates replacement of imprisonment with monetary penalties, introduction of administrative adjudication mechanisms, imposition of graded penalties based on severity and duration of defaults, compounding of certain offences to reduce litigation and the repealing of obsolete and redundant laws.

The passage of the Bill paves the way for required changes to the AP Municipal Corporations Act, 1955, AP Municipalities Act, 1965, AP Excise Act, 1968, AP Land Reforms (Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings) Act, 1973, AP Factories & Establishments (National, Festival & Other Holidays) Act, 1974, AP Prohibition Act, 1995, AP Fire Service Act, 1999, AP CRDA Act, 2014, AP Metropolitan Region & Urban Development Authorities Act, 2016, AP Industrial Corridor Development Act, 2017, AP Milk Procurement (Protection of Farmers) & Enforcement of Safety of Milk Standards Act, 2023 and AP Bovine Breeding (Regulation of Production & Sale of Bovine Semen & Artificial Insemination Services) Act, 2021. 

Besides, it clears the path for repealing the AP (Krishna, Godavari and Pennar Delta Area) Drainage Cess Act, 1985, and AP (Non-Delta Area) Drainage Act, 1986.